Presentation of candidates for the post of European Parliament President

An Usher closing the urn used for elections of the European Parliament President

Starting at 10.00, acting President Gianni Pittella will preside over the election of Parliament's new president on the first day of the constitutive plenary session of the newly-elected European Parliament. The ballot will be preceded by a five-minute statement by each of the four candidates.

The candidates, proposed for the first ballot either by a political group or by a minimum of 40 MEPs, are:

Pablo IGLESIAS (GUE, ES)

Sajjad KARIM (ECR, UK)

Ulrike LUNACEK (Greens/EFA, AT)

Martin SCHULZ (S&D, DE)

After the candidates' statements, the election is held by secret ballot. MEPs vote by indicating their preferred candidate on a paper ballot. To be elected, a candidate must win an absolute majority of the valid votes cast, i.e. 50% plus one.